Gretna will be playing in the Clydesdale Bank Premierleague next season after the Scottish Premier League rejected complaints from St Mirren and Dunfermline that the first division champions had breached rules over stadium plans.

The SPL board convened yesterday morning to discuss submissions that Gretna's promotion was illegal after failing to provide a start and end date for redevelopment of Raydale Park.

Brooks Mileson, the Gretna owner, had been granted permission for his club to groundshare with Motherwell at Fir Park next season and, under SPL regulations, will also require to provide confirmation of stadium compliance by March 31 next year for season 2008/09.

St Mirren spent £200,000 on ground improvements following their promotion last summer, after they could not offer assurances over the construction of a new stadium.

Their argument that Gretna should have provided dates before taking their place in the top flight was dismissed yesterday by Ian Blair, the secretary of the SPL, who also revealed that a third club director submitted an email query before the board meeting.

"There are no grey areas that I can see and I don't understand why people claim there is," said Blair. "We do have rules that when a club wants to play at a stadium which it does not own, then the tenure of that agreement must be approved by the SPL.

"Our decision in April was about the tenure of that agreement and it was very similar to a previous one involving Aberdeen and Inverness Caledonian Thistle, so if people are looking for a precedent then that is it."

While Gretna have yet to make public their definitive plans for Raydale Park, Blair is satisfied they will be compliant by the end of their groundsharing period but warned there would be action taken if they are not.

"They do not have to give me a start date or a completion date or any other information. It's a misunderstanding if people think they must give a start date of X and a finish date of Y," he said.

"I don't run Gretna and I don't make their decisions but I do require them to play in a compliant stadium next season and, assuming they retain their place, that they do so the year after. If not, I'll deal with what I am responsible for."

The explanation was unsatisfactory to John Yorkston, the chairman of Dunfermline, whose side will be relegated. Yorkston's case was based on information that both Falkirk and Inverness had to provide a start and end date for stadium compliance before being granted promotion.

"Judging by the clubs involved previously, it seems they have had to do things as a matter of procedure that Gretna have not," said Yorkston. "In theory, they could simply reapply for ground- sharing again next season even though it has always been the case that groundsharing was allowed to enable clubs to get stadiums that were nearly completed up to scratch.

"All we can say is standards have been set here that should have been adhered to.

"The interpretations of the rules are not consistent. You cannot cover every scenario but I am also disappointed that the decision became public knowledge before we have heard anything, but, then again, I'm not surprised.

"If you are in any doubt, speak to Falkirk, St Mirren and Inverness. We will await the letter before we decide our next step."

St Mirren, having instigated the complaint, were content to let the matter rest after their safety was secured last week. "We have done our bit and now it's up to the SPL board," said Stewart Gilmour, the club chairman.